{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: The protective effect of tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors in COVID-19 in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases compared to the general population-A comparison of two German registries.
{Author}: Hasseli R;Hanses F;Stecher M;Specker C;Weise T;Borgmann S;Hasselberger M;Hertenstein B;Hower M;Hoyer BF;Koll C;Krause A;von Lilienfeld-Toal M;Lorenz HM;Merle U;Nunes de Miranda SM;Pletz MW;Regierer AC;Richter JG;Rieg S;Roemmele C;Ruethrich MM;Schmeiser T;Schulze-Koops H;Strangfeld A;Vehreschild MJGT;Voit F;Voll RE;Vehreschild JJ;Müller-Ladner U;Pfeil A;
{Journal}: Front Med (Lausanne)
{Volume}: 11
{Issue}: 0
{Year}: 2024
{Factor}: 5.058
{DOI}: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1332716
{Abstract}: <B>UNASSIGNED: </B>To investigate, whether inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) inpatients are at higher risk to develop a severe course of SARS-CoV-2 infections compared to the general population, data from the German COVID-19 registry for IRD patients and data from the Lean European Survey on SARS-CoV-2 (LEOSS) infected patients covering inpatients from the general population with SARS-CoV-2 infections were compared.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>4310 (LEOSS registry) and 1139 cases (IRD registry) were collected in general. Data were matched for age and gender. From both registries, 732 matched inpatients (LEOSS registry: n = 366 and IRD registry: n = 366) were included for analyses in total.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>Regarding the COVID-19 associated lethality, no significant difference between both registries was observed. Age > 65°years, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis and the use of rituximab were associated with more severe courses of COVID-19. Female gender and the use of tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors (TNF-I) were associated with a better outcome of COVID-19.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>Inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) patients have the same risk factors for severe COVID-19 regarding comorbidities compared to the general population without any immune-mediated disease or immunomodulation. The use of rituximab was associated with an increased risk for severe COVID-19. On the other hand, the use of TNF-I was associated with less severe COVID-19 compared to the general population, which might indicate a protective effect of TNF-I against severe COVID-19 disease.